Lace Co-Ords and Covetable Trench Coats: Chloé’s Latest Collection Is a Masterclass in Modern French Dressing

“It’s raining, it’s pouring”, goes the nursery rhyme. Quite literally, at the Chloé spring/summer 27 show in Paris this week. Not only did the heavens open on what had been a relatively warm week in the capital, but Chemena Kamali was already prepared, making a case for spring-shower dressing in her fifth mainline collection for the house.

Thanks to Kamali, we now have a clear idea of what it means to be a Chloé girl in every season. Summer is punchy, retro florals with high-waisted capris, autumn is high necks and checks atop gauzy, ruffled skirts and dresses; and winter is a thigh-high boot teamed with shaggy shearling. But what of spring? Well, as the lights and soundtrack lifted in the venue, you may not have been expecting such a sleek, pared-back take on Chloé’s bohemian spirit.

Still undoubtedly French, feminine and always one of the most arrestingly romantic brands to show during fashion month, this season, it has been suggested by some that Kamali’s ode to the history of the house is a swan song (whether the rumours of her exit are greatly exaggerated remains to be seen), but what is clear is that this is another collection designed by a woman with other women in mind.

Chloé Spring/Summer 2027 Review

The first look to open any show always sets the tone for what to expect ahead, and a bright white, tasselled sweetheart top and matching miniskirt told us two things: one, do not expect any more florals, and two, prepare for a very restrained colour palette. Across 54 looks, 33 were dedicated to black or white colour-blocking, and the colours that would be introduced later in the run would be muted pink, butter yellow, rusty orange and mustard. After a year of heady maximalism, this was Kamali’s version of a palette cleanser. (Before you chalk this up to “pastels for spring”, there was a slick, fire-engine-red waterproof and hat to break up the relative sweetness, but more on that later).

Continuing to play on this seasonal dichotomy, the tassel tops, minis and shorts began to give way to big broderie anglaise dresses reminiscent of sunny days in the South of France before the trenches began to appear. And if Kamali’s debut will be forever remembered as the reintroduction of the wooden wedge, S/S 27 will be the reinvention of the trench coat. Cape trenches, scoop-neck trenches, cropped trenches, leather and vinyl trenches… It’s high time one of the hardest-working pieces in the professional woman’s wardrobe had some new life breathed into it, and here we have it in spades and shades, spanning the gamut from camel classic to pretty pink mini.

Teamed with these practical coats? A ludicrously impractical hat of course, and floppy sun hats are traded in for waist-grazing rain hats, folded up at the brim and asymmetrically balanced. Do we predict that they will be all the rage on the high street? Probably not, but an interesting approach to a season so often expectant of non-stop sunshine.

What to wear underneath your waterproof is equally compelling, and the suggestion here is cropped, lace-up blouses, long skirts and babydoll dresses. Sheer lace and broderie feature again, decorating co-ords and pretty separates, and with the reintroduction of black and white, we enter into an evening-focused selection of slimline suiting and lingerie detailing, culminating in the most exciting silhouettes of the collection: tiered, balloon-skirt dresses with barely there bralette tops.

Refreshingly, this doesn’t feel like a collection geared towards red-carpet appearances; instead it focuses on building an aspirational wardrobe for the dreamers and dedicated Francophiles. With a little bit of something for everyone in the mix, minimalists will love the sharp blazers, maximalists will be drawn to the textured dresses, romantics can still buy classic, beautiful blouses, and the more experimental among us will have a field day with those glossy macs. Kamali has proven once again why Chloé never feels too samey and often ends up on every editor’s “one to watch” list.

1. The Runway

2. The Accessories

3. The Front Row